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Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga have rediscovered their best form, putting on a stunning show in Saturday's 6–0 demolition of Orlando City that LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos aptly called "savage."
Son, who quickly built a strong connection with Bouanga following his move from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, reignited that deadly partnership by registering four assists within the opening 39 minutes. Inter Miami's Lionel Messi is the only other player in MLS history to record four or more assists in a single half throughout the competition's existence.
Bouanga was the primary beneficiary of Son's brilliant playmaking, netting a hat-trick — all set up by his South Korean partner — in just nine minutes. That stands as the third-fastest treble in MLS history, equaling Alejandro Moreno's record achieved with the LA Galaxy back in 2004.
Hat-trick in 30 minutes?
Nothing is off the table for Denis Bouanga. 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/HQTapnoX53
And while Son is still searching for his first goal of 2026, the league's assists leader has made clear he remains at the top of his game, even as he approaches the later stages of his career at 33 years of age.
"Sonny has been amazing," Dos Santos said after the match, having pushed Son higher up the pitch and moved Bouanga to the left wing for the first time this campaign. "He doesn't have to score every time. He has to help the team, and that's what he's doing, so I see it differently.
"[He was] involved in our five goals in the first half. What more can we ask? If people think he's going to score five goals in every game, it's delusional... What a performance in the first half... It was savage, the way he played."
It's 5️⃣!!!
Sonny with a hat-trick of assists in the first half. 🎩 pic.twitter.com/EF3FleDCL0
In goal, six saves from 2018 World Cup champion Hugo Lloris kept LAFC's already record-setting season-opening clean sheet run alive, now extended to six matches and 540 minutes. However, it has yet to surpass the club's longest shutout streak, which reached 549 minutes during the middle of the 2024 season.
The result also confirmed they were the last remaining unbeaten side in the league after six rounds, while maintaining sole ownership of first place in the Western Conference.
Beyond Bouanga's hat-trick, LAFC also received goals from Sergi Palencia and Tyler Boyd, along with an own goal from David Brekalo, and an assist from Canadian international Jacob Shaffelburg, who made his club debut after undergoing surgery during the offseason.
Champions Cup Dreaming
With three points secured and their unbeaten run preserved, LAFC now turns its attention to the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals and a high-stakes midweek encounter against Liga MX powerhouse and 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup holders, Cruz Azul.
It required a late goal in Costa Rica for LAFC to eliminate Alajuelense, but their performances in both domestic and continental competition have them believing they can challenge for every title on offer.
"It's a very good team in Mexico. It's going to be a good fight," Bouanga said after the game, before Palencia added: "We went to our job, and everybody is doing great with no selfishness. It's great to have the squad that we have, and it's huge for us to prepare for Cruz Azul."
Despite representing Concacaf at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, LAFC has yet to claim the Champions Cup title, having fallen in the final to Mexican clubs in both 2020 and 2023. Following Wednesday's first leg against Cruz Azul at their home ground BMO Stadium, the Black and Gold then look ahead to next week's away fixture against the Portland Timbers.
"We keep [trying] to score, we keep [trying] to not concede," Bouanga added. "We don't talk about the records, you go on the field for wins, and this is a good feeling when you finish the game like that, you score, and you don't concede a goal. Now we keep going."